In a development which was perhaps inevitable, a canine lyceum in New York has started offering classes in which dogs are taught to "use" iPads.

According to an in-depth report on Today.com, doggy pedagogue Anna Jane Grossman ("who had recently left journalism to pursue dog training full-time") was inspired to offer fondleslab training targeted at particularly hairy, dribbly, differently-clever fanbois and 'girls by a spoof article on the internet.

Reportedly, some 25 canine gizmo fanciers have passed through Grossman's course, which costs $50 per class. As she points out, this compares favourably on cost with many iPad cases and other slablet accessories - though to be sure one might need a case too. The iPads used by the school are generally protected in one way or another, for instance by wrapping them in clingfilm to resist the effects of doggy spittle or mucus (most dogs apparently favour manipulation of the touch interface by nose rather than paws).

"In a way it's not any weirder that we put these devices in the hands of nonverbal children," Grossman told Today.com. "It can be a tool to facilitate some kind of affection."

The dog-loving fangirl suggested that her classes were ideal for the lazy dog-owner, tired of trudging round the park with a warm pocketful of plastic-bagged turds.

"I really like to teach things you can do sitting on your couch with a glass of wine," she enthused. "It should be something that's enjoyable, because in the end, it's about spending time with your dogs."